Theresa May may be trying to get the Inquiry off the ground, but the latest backlash against the delays and controversial revelations about the newly deceased Leon Brittan must feel like treading through molasses. But who’s to blame?

And it’s only been four days since Leon Brittan passed away but allegations of sexual abuse are beginning to surface, as a victim who spoke out last year about Brittan’s involvement in a Westminster paedophile ring makes the news again this week. Nick alleges that Brittan abused him and several other boys at Westminster.

The difficulties the Child Abuse Inquiry faces today are in part due to historic responses to abuse, which included denying or ignoring allegations altogether and systematically covering up evidence linked to these claims. It’s no wonder that the Inquiry is struggling to get itself up and running, as voices that have remained silent for so long, now sense an opportunity to speak out. The clamour in the media though, should not dissuade May from getting her tush in gear – promises to get a Chair and a proper infrastructure for the Inquiry within the next five days must be kept, and full confidence in the people chosen to get involved and the process itself, is key.

It’s time to take the bull by the horns, and get a powerful panel up and running.

The problem with UK child protection policies is they are not evidence based. There is no specific legislation or regulations which require local authorities to collect & hold information on child abuse perpetrators or for them to use that information to formulate evidence based child protection policies.

Hi David, I think that’s a really good point. There needs to be much more emphasis on trying to collect and detect evidence in cases, and whilst physical evidence is not always forthcoming, we need to make sure that other forms of detection/ evidence are really on point.

The question that should have been asked to Mr Brittan was “Given the gravity of the dossier you passed on to the relevant authorities ;”Why when no action was taken by anybody did you not pursue the matter and find out the reason why the dossier was suppressed ??”

Hi FA, at the time this all happened I gather Brittan took the dossier and was later found by a committee to have forwarded it on in the required manner, but the veracity of that finding is in dispute now, as is the process at the time, for dealing with such matters.